Adeniyi Adeyemi and the PFIPC: Nigerian police arrest boss of fake agency
Details of Tuesday’s arrest are still sketchy, but police have confirmed officers from the Force Intelligence Department and the Intelligence Response Team were involved.
The suspect is expected to be taken to the police station in Abuja for further questioning.
Police launched a manhunt for Adeyemi after allegations against PFIPC emerged last week.
Tinubu’s office said the official-sounding letter creating the agency was fake.
The Presidency said police forensic analysis confirmed that the signature on the controversial appointment letter of the president’s private secretary, Femi Gbajabiamila, was forged.
The scandal has led to calls from civil society groups, opposition politicians and senior lawyers for an independent investigation.
Adeyemi maintained his innocence in interviews with local media.
“My life is in danger,” he said, according to local news, but promised to appear in court to clear his name.
However, he was not present at Tuesday’s hearing. His lawyer, Genesis Francis, told the court that Adeyemi was unable to persuade his client to attend the hearing, citing security concerns.
The lawyer said the accused wrote an open letter to President Tinubu expressing these concerns.
Adeyemi had earlier claimed that PFIPC was established in 2024 with the aim of attracting foreign investment into Nigeria. However, there is no record of any agreement being signed.
BBC News Pidgin found that the agency provides office space within the Federal Secretariat, the vast government complex in Abuja that houses many ministries.
It had also opened an account at the Central Bank of Nigeria and was included in the 2026 Appropriations Bill with an allocation of 1.3 billion naira ($950,000; £700,000).
But the General Accounting Office said PFIPC never operated an account at the central bank or received any public funds or salaries.
Adeyemi and two others are accused of using false official documents to establish and operate the council, opening multiple bank accounts in the name of the council and seeking official recognition of the non-existent institution, according to court documents.
